does wls help any at all?

Pre surgery and I posted under a different topic asking about FM patients and if the exercise ever gets easier but never got any replies....  I didn't think weight loss would help much but my FM has seemed to get much worse since a big weight gain.  I was so hoping for better news :(

It's refreshing to read how some of you don't take the meds.  I don't either....  I seem to have bad reactions to everything and I definitely don't want to add medication side effects to the mix and then not know what is causing what....  If I listened to any of the doctors I've seen I'd be on at least 4-5 different meds including sleep meds, antidepressants and pain meds.  No way.  I don't take any meds for anything and that's one of the reasons I'm getting this surgery now - before they try to put me on blood pressure pills and cholesterol pills and who knows what else!  I'm sure I'm heading that way if I don't do something and I know the harm those pills can / will cause so there is no way.

I've got one for you... Prior to my WLS I missed 3 months of work in a year and then 6 months the next year.... I woke up in discomfort EVERY DAY and many days it was just down right Miserable Pain.  I was taking 15 meds a day and my anti-inflamatory 9 pills a day ... my life was spent in the Physical Therapy office trying to get some relief...
GOOD NEWS.... I had Gastric Bypass 6 years ago... dropped 110 pounds and got a HUGE RELIEF of my Fibro pains.  My Pain Management Docs specialize in Rehab Medicine as well... and they are Great!  I went from 15 meds a day to 3 meds a day.... the weight loss truly gave me a new start.... No longer diabetic, no more sleep apnea, no more heart issues... My sleep disorder and IBS are still here but much more manageable.
We as the patient do have to take an active role in our own care and learn to listen to our bodies.  When my IBS flares or my sleep starts to get affected I'm at Gastro doc or my sleep specialist (who happens to be my Primary-bonus).  I also feel you need to work with docs that Believe we do have a "real Condition" and will take us seriously.

I still have Fibro.... but I wake up many days pain free.  when I have a flare I call the doc and address it.  Two years back Dr. Burak Alptekin started treating me with Lidocaine Infusions when I got a flare.  It's an IV treatment done in office , takes about 45 minutes and we do it 3 - 5 treatments two weeks apart.  When my body flared two xmas ago... we did it and it lasted about 6 months.  Then we did it again and here we are going on 18 months and still feeling Good!  I do have arthritis and have a bad knee and currently have a torn rotator cuff.... these we treat with PT, but still haven't kicked off one of those god awful flares.

So my quick answer is YES.... My WLS... definetly helped me to get refief from my Fibro.  It is much better controlled now and I'm more trained in how to handle it before it gets to out of whack! 

If you live up in Northwest NJ and need some good Doctors to help:  Dr. Michael Gutkin, Dr Burak Alptekin are part of THE ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE of NJ 908-684-3005.  Dr James Smith is in Budd Lake NJ and he is a Primary Care and a Sleep Specialist AND HE UNDERSTANDS FIBRO 973-426-8484 Gastro doc is Dr. Daren Blumberg 973-401-0500 and my LIFE SAVER.... Dr Alexander ABKIN -Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeons he did my Bypass with Dr. Bertha 973-410-9700.

Good Luck on your jourmey!  Pat

A  BIG nope.  I wish.  I put off anymore "maybe it's this.. or that" until after my surgery to see if it was weight related but unfortunately it wasn't.  Sorry. :(

Hi Ida, I also have fibro, RA and was diabetic and HBP, while I still have fibro pain I can tell you it is easier on my body and joint pain and my  tiredness and not feeling well is not as bad as it was. I had surgery Feb 22 , 2011. The weight loss has taken care of the diabetes and high blood pressure.And i am able to move around more then I used to.

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